ML043000307

Technical Specification Change Request No. 331 - Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Response to Request for Additional Information

ML043000307
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	10/19/2004
From:	Swenson C AmerGen Energy Co
To:	Document Control Desk, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
2130-04-20248
Download: ML043000307 (7)

Text

10 CFR 50.90 October 19, 2004 21 30-04-20248 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATIN: Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555-0001 Oyster Creek Generating Station Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 NRC Docket No. 50-219

Subject:

Technical Specification Change Request No. 331 - Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratio Response to Request for Additional Information

References:

1) Letter from C. N. Swenson (AmerGen Energy Company, LLC) to USNRC, dated August 27, 2004

2) Letter from C. N. Swenson (AmerGen Energy Company, LLC) to USNRC, dated October 11, 2004 In the Reference 1 letter, AmerGen Energy Company, LLC (AmerGen), requested an amendment to the Technical Specifications (TS), Appendix A of Operating License No.

DPR-16 for Oyster Creek Generating Station (OCGS). This proposed change will revise Technical Specification (TS) Section 2. I .A to incorporate revised Safety Limit Minimum Critical Power Ratios (SLMCPRs) due to the cycle specific analysis performed by Global Nuclear Fuei for OCGS, Cycle 20.

On October I , 2004 and October 19, 2004, conference calls were held with NRC Staff regarding our request. Reference 2 provided our response to questions discussed during the October 1 2004 call. Attached is our response to the questions discussed on the October 19: 2004 call. This information is being submitted under unsworn declaration.

One (1) commitment is contained within this letter, as discussed in Attachment 2.

If you have any questions OF require additional information, please contact Tom Loomis at (610)T65-5510.

I declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Respectfully,

OCGS License Amendment Request October 19, 2004 Page 2 Attachments: 1- Response to Request for Additional Information 2-Commitment cc: S. J. Collins, Administrator, USNRC Region I P. S. Tam, USNRC Senior Project Manager, Oyster Creek R. J. Summers, USNRC Senior Resident inspector, Oyster Creek File No. 02079

OCGS License Amendment Request October 19, 2004 Page 3 cc: Mr. Kent Tosch, Director Bureau of Nuclear Engineering Department of Environmental Protection CN 415 Trenton, NJ 08628 The Honorable John Parker Mayor of Lacey Township 818 West Lacey Road Forked River, NJ 08731

ATTACHMENT 1 OYSTER CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-219 LICENSE NO. DPR-16 lnformatio equest for ~dditiQnal

Attachment 1 Page 1 of I Question:

Explain how Oyster Creek Generating Station (OCGS) will insure that the calculated SLMCPR will remain bounding for ail operating conditions.

Answer:

Oyster Creek Generating Station (OCGS) will operate within the analyzed operating domain, including both off-rated and rated power/ flow conditions (i.e.,

bounded by the rod lines analyzed for SLMCPR), to ensure that the calculated SLMCPR remains bounding throughout Cycle 20. For both off-rated and rated power/flow conditions there is reasonable confidence that the nominal rod patterns utilized by OCGS will produce MCPR distributions less severe than those assumed in the SLMCPR calculations. The more severe MCPR distributions assumed in the SLMCPR calculations produce a more conservative SLMCPR value than would be produced if the SLMCPR were calculated with the nominal rod patterns.

Question:

Explain the basis for the R-factor as provided in the August 27, 2004 Technical Specification Change Request.

Response

At this time, there is no evidence that Oyster Creek Generating Station is experiencing control blade corrosion-induced channel bow. The extra conservative R-factor uncertainty as provided in the Technical Specification Change Request generically accounts for increased channel bow as observed in some ~ W R / 4C-lattice, BWR/5 and BWR/6 reactors. Since no evidence of control blade corrosion-induced bow has been seen for the Oyster Creek Generati~gStation, use of the higher uncertainty is conservative relative to the methodology and uncertainties that have been previously reviewed and approved generically by the NRC. In the event that Oyster Creek Generating Station conclusively experiences channel bow, justification for the higher R-factor uncertainty will be provided to the NRC for review.

ATTACHMENT 2 OYSTER CREEK GENERATING STATION DOCKET NO. 50-219 LICENSE NO. DPR-16

Attachment 2 Page 1 of 1 IT The f o ~ ~ ~ table w i ~ identifies g commitments made in this document. (Any other actions discussed in the submittal represent intended or planned actions. They are described to the NRC for the NRCs information and are not regulatory commitments.)

In the event that Oyster Creek Generating Station conclusively By Refueling Outage experiences channel bow, justification for the higher R-factor 21 (Fall 2006) uncertainty will be provided to the NRC for review.